how much to refund for a broken oven?

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

how much to refund for a broken oven?

My current group of guests who are staying for two nights called me earlier today to let me know the oven is not working. They were just getting ready to cook so I understand it is a huge inconvenience- they already bought the groceries, had menu planned. I will bring them a smaller portable oven tomorrow but I do think compensation is due. They paid $300 per night which is a decent deal for the size of the place and it being holiday weekend but not cheap either by the time you add local taxes and fees. Thoughts?

21 Replies 21
Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Inna22 

Something equivalent of  the price of an evening meal at a mid range restaurant ? 

Maia29
Level 10
Anchorage, AK

Go buy a new oven really quick. 

@Maia29 it is a two night stay and a weekend. I will not be able to buy and install an oven by the time they leave. And definitely not by the time they expected to eat dinner last night

@Inna22  Okay so they paid $600 for 2 nights.  Does the stove top work?  So, just no oven, they can still 'cook' but can't bake anything.  What do you think about 10%?  And give them 10% and bring a gift basket of edibles?  You could go higher I guess, but realistically, everything in the house works except one thing, so that is 99%, but the oven if you planned to hang out at night would be pretty annoying.  I think 25% is too much, but that's me.


@Mark116 wrote:

@Inna22  Okay so they paid $600 for 2 nights.  Does the stove top work?  So, just no oven, they can still 'cook' but can't bake anything. 


The issue is that they had already bought food expecting to use the oven, so the guests have actually spent money and been inconvenienced.

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

@Inna22 I'd wait to make a decision until I knew that the oven really truly was broken and not user error

 

and then I'd base my decision on how quickly I got it resolved. If they're able to make last night's dinner tonight then that's helpful I'd think. My family could quickly spend upwards of $100 on a dinner out and could double that depending on the place and I'm not sure I think they should get half off for one amenity. That's a tricky one....

Jennifer1421
Level 10
Peterborough, Canada

@Inna22I like to think in percentages for this kind of inconvenience. As @Kelly149 advises, begin by making sure that the issue is not user error, then ask yourself what a reasonable percentage of the stay has been disrupted by the non-working amenity. Is it 25% of the 2 night stay? Is it 10? 30? What would YOU find reasonable if it were your stay?

 

Once you have a percentage in your mind, ask the guest what they think a reasonable % would be. Assuming they are making a reasonable request, negotiate from there. Percentages have a way of equalizing things. As a reasonable guest, I might think 25% is fair (well, it's only the oven, but the heat works, and the water is fine, and the wifi is fast, and the apartment is lovely, so 25% seems ok), where I might look at $75 (300 x 25%) and NOT think it's fair (Geez, I spent $40 on groceries alone...)

 

Keep in mind, though that CX will refund 50%, I think, for a non-functioning listed amenity (which I think is really high, depending on the amenity). I guess the goal is to avoid that 50% penalty and try to settle on a lesser percentage that still makes the guest feel compensated.

Matthew1071
Level 2
Washington, DC

I think it is fair to refund them the cost of groceries purchased 24-48 hours before the time of notification of a broken oven plus as an added gesture for their inconvenience, you pay a reasonable price for their dinner outside. 

 

You might want to make sure you set some limits and expectations such as "paying only for the people staying at your place" rather than for their guests as well as this could easily turn into an abuse of opportunity and becomes a "Friends, let's go party and over spend, the host is paying" event.

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Now the dishwasher is not working! Both were maintenances by the same guy on Friday so I think he just doesn’t know what he is doing. I guess I am at 50 percent since it is two listed amenities? Or it sounds like I should ask them what percentage they feel is fair first to see if they are ok with less?

@Inna22   Yikes.  You're kind of screwed now, but it won't hurt to ask them what they think, they might say 25% and be happy.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Inna22 

I hope someone has checked the circuit breaker!

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Or the switch on the wall!

@Mike-And-Jane0 gas oven and the dishwasher has a legitimate error message

Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Inna22  sounds like a possible scammer now. I have had a couple of those "toilet does not flush" and "boiler is broken".  Nothing at all wrong with the boiler, still working many years after the so-called failure.  Getting the plumber in, he said the flush mechanism had been deliberately tamperd with, one part broken by brute force.